A horse race is a sport that features horses competing against each other. During the race, each horse must attempt to get off to a fast start and save energy for the end of the race known as the home stretch. The horse whose nose passes the finish line first is deemed the winner. There are a number of rules and regulations that must be followed during a horse race to ensure fairness for all participants.

The horse racing industry has made a number of improvements in recent years. In addition to implementing better training practices for young horses, the industry is embracing technological advances such as thermal imaging cameras, MRI scanners, endoscopes, and 3D printing that can produce casts, splints, and prosthetics for injured or ill horses. These technologies have been instrumental in improving race day safety as well as post-race recovery for horses.

Despite these innovations, many critics continue to slam the sport for its abusive training practices, drug use, and the slaughter of many American horses after they are no longer able to race. This criticism has caused a decline in interest and participation in the sport, leading to a decline in race days, attendance, and entry fees. The British Horseracing Authority, the sport’s governing body, has recently grabbed the reins to bring about change. It has replaced a triumvirate of board members and two other committees that had been making decisions by consensus and is taking sweeping measures to overhaul the sport.

Horse racing has a long history of using drugs to enhance performance. In the early days of the sport, Romans used a mixture of hydromel, strychnine, and cocaine to help their horses run faster. More recently, the drug Lasix has been commonly used by the racing industry to prevent pulmonary bleeding, a condition that occurs when horses are forced to race too hard.

Although different types of races have slightly different rules, the basic principles are the same. During the race, each horse must begin at a specific starting point and must make it to the finish line before any other horse. After the race is over, officials known as Stewards will decide whether or not a foul was committed. If a foul is found to have occurred, the winning horse will be disqualified. Otherwise, the rest of the field will continue to compete. In addition to betting on the winner of a race, fans can also place bets on other outcomes such as placing second or third. These bets are often called accumulator bets and are available for a wide variety of races worldwide. Betting on a horse race can be an exciting experience for fans and can lead to big payouts if a winning bet is placed.